Tasting Etude Pinot Noirs

14.2% alc., $42. Aged 12-14
months in French oak barrels. Only the best barrels were chosen for the Etude
bottling.
·Heavenly scents of fresh black cherries and strawberries with a subtle
touch of oak spice kept me returning to the glass. Delicious black cherry and
black raspberry fruit core with a hint of strawberries and oak toast. Impeccable
balance, silky tannins and commendable persistence on the snappy finish. A
fine drink and a noticeable departure from the previous three vintages of this wine.

14.1% alc., 960
cases, $60.
·This is a marvelous wine full of vim and vigor with no rough
edges. Lovely aromatic profile of slightly confected black cherries and black
raspberries with wood spice, herbs and a touch of good barnyard. Smooth
and seamless in the mouth with gossamer tannins and sporting a juicy black
cherry core followed by a taunting, teasing finish. The real deal.

14.2% alc., 495
cases, $60. This site in the Etude Estate Vineyard is on a gradual slope that
faces east and is influenced by the Petaluma Gap daily intrusion of fog.
·The
scents of wild berries, candy cane, allspice and truffle are long and persistent.
A panoply of red fruits, particularly cherries and berries, are demure yet very
satisfying. Vibrant acidity provides a juiciness and the pillowy tannins create a
velvety texture. Impeccably balanced and a perfect example of why Pinot is my
paramour.

14.1% alc., $42.
·Dark reddish-purple in color. Extremely
ripe and roasted dark fruits with notes of prune and fig on the nose. An earthy and darkly fruited wine showing
mushroom and forest floor character and a clean and tangy finish redolent with grapefruit.

13.5% alc.,495 cases, $60. Inaugural release of
this wine, the second vineyard-designated Pinot Noir from the Etude Estate Vineyards.
·Aromas of red cherries,
herbs and peppermint lead to delicious flavors of cherries, herbs, oak and forest floor. Noticeable but
unobtrusive fuzzy tannins and a dry finish that lingers. A good drink.

14.6% alc., 1091 cases, $90.
·Subdued nose of deep, dark
plummy fruits and clove. The aromas just don’t seem like they have arrived yet. Juicy dark red stone fruits
dominate the entry and mid palate, finishing with toothsome tannins. A little ponderous and unexciting now but
the wine should become more expressive with time in the cellar.

14.2% alc., 8, 000 cases, $42. Aged 12-14 months in
French oak barrels.
·Rich aromas of black cherries and strawberries with a hint of oak char. Subdued dark
stone fruits with some oak char and a citric tang on the finish. A little more oak shows through than the
wonderful 2003 version and this wine is now more reserved.

14.7% alc., 470 cases, $60. The first vineyard designated
Pinot Noir from the Etude Estate vineyards. This wine is named for an old deer camp structure that
stands at the base of the vineyard. The parcel is so unique that it is considered a “vineyard within a vineyard.”
The low vigor soil is rocky and well drained contributing to the small size of the vines.
·Deep dark purple color.
The fruit is overripe displaying notable aromas and flavors of raisin and port. A bold expression of Pinot Noir
with deep dark fruits flanked by earth, game and feral notes. Noticeable tannic backbone and lively acidity.
The cooked fruit nature of this wine was not to my taste.

14.6% alc., 40 barrels, $70.
·Regal nose of black raspberry, new oak and spice. A juicy and earth-kissed
cherry and berry core fans out nicely on the palate with oak char and anise in
the background. A perfectly balanced wine with vibrant acidity and ripe
tannins. This wine is enthralling and seems to reach every nook and cranny in
the mouth. A magnificent Pinot with very powerful charisma.

14.1% alc., 8,200 cases, $40. Naturally adjusted
crop levels. No heat at harvest meant excellent fruit condition at harvest. This wine
was part of the first crush at the new Etude Carneros winery.
·Appealing aromas of
black cherries, cola and oak. In the mouth the wine is pure and stylish with flavors of
black cherries, strawberries and a touch of mocha with a lip smacking citrus tang to
the finish. Smooth and silky and extremely well balanced. This wine is now perfectly
integrated and drinking beautifully.

14.2% alc., 38 barrels, $70. First bottle opened was corked.
·An
intense wine of admirable balance with crisp acidity. Aromas of dark cherries and berries are accented by oak
and barnyard. Flavors of cherry syrup, blueberries and pomegranate are plush and satisfying. A great food
wine.

14.9% alc., 20 barrels.
·Very dark reddish-purple color. The fruity
nose initially features black raspberries and black currant fading in the glass to reveal more oak and herbs.
Dark red stone fruits and berries saturate the palate with hints of mocha and leafy vegetables. Soft tannins
create a smooth drinking experience that finishes with a citrus tang. Reminiscent of an aged Gevrey-
Chambertain village wine from a good vintage.

14.5% alc., 16 barrels.
·A tad better than the 1996 vintage with
less Brettanomyces. Aromas of smoke and Maraschino cherry with flavors of black raspberry, prune and earth.
Lively acidity and silky in texture with a clean and persistent finish. Down and dirty. Lovers of old Pinot may
find solace here but the wine doesn’t deliver much interest for me.

13.5% alc., 12 barrels.
·This wine is burdened by Brettanomyces.
Dark-fruited and plummy with a citrus note on the finish. A chunky wine whose tannins have receded but the
fruit is diluted and the wine lacks any charm.